[She doesn't want to get in a fight or yell or anything with Ben, that wasn't the point of this visit. She wants it even less after seeing how unhealthy he looks now. But, her voice grows stronger and more defensive in response to his sharp questioning, and she looks up at him, her mouth thin and her chin held high.]
I made it. But that's not anything you need to worry about.
[She still doesn't entirely like it, isn't entirely sure how to use it, but Galen had a point. Blasters were harder to come by here, and he had the parts necessary for a lightsaber. With Anakin back, she needed something to defend herself should it come to that, and even if blasters were a thing, she knew first hand just how effective those were against Darth Vader.]
[He's basically looming over her now, utterly appalled by this series of events. This is the worst thing that his mother could have come upon. If there is any Force user who does not need a saber, it's Leia Organa.]
Who taught you? [He really doesn't want to think it was Obi-Wan, since he likes the man. But he can see Qui-Gon doing such a thing, and there are other people from their galaxy in the city he doesn't know much about, if anything. He's going to find out, either way.
Hopefully she doesn't notice that the looming is in part due to a lack of balance, and that there's some wavering in it as he gets more agitated. The rising temperature isn't helping much, either, though it wasn't going to take much to make him start sweating.]
[His looming, as usual, does little to intimidate Leia into giving him the actual answers he wants. That's not to say she likes it, though, frowning up at Ben as he demands answers. The fact that his looming is partially due to a lack of balance isn't something she notices until he starts visibly wavering, and it's at that point her expression falters, and any annoyance with him interrogating her about the lightsaber is gone.
Any sense of wanting Ben to have his own personal space and to not impose on him more than she already does when she visits is forgotten, and she reaches out, placing a hand on his upper arm in some attempt to help stabilize him. She doesn't need Ben falling over and getting in worse shape than he already seems to be.]
It doesn't matter who. What matters is that you're going to hurt yourself if you keep this up, Ben. At least sit down.
[because she's sure she will have less luck getting Ben to cooperate than she did with Han. Han, at least, could be convinced if it got him attention and he wanted to be taken care of. Ben presumably wants little of that, least of all from her. But if she could get him to sit down, at least she won't have to worry about him toppling over.]
[He brings up his left hand and attempts to shrug her off before he places it against the nearest wall somewhat forcefully, intending to keep his balance that way, if his body won't cooperate properly. It doubles as a way to block the hall, as well, so she can't just waltz in as if she's welcome.]
It absolutely matters.
[And if he can use her misplaced concern to manipulate her into giving him what he wants, he absolutely will. Even if it's to his detriment, physically.]
I'm not moving until you tell me. [Granted, he doesn't plan to move if she does tell him, but there would be a slightly greater chance of it.]
Edited (forgot a close tag...) 2016-12-22 20:23 (UTC)
[Leia keeps her hand on his arm despite his attempts to shake it off, still partially because she's worried he's about to fall over, but also because in the back of her mind, she's aware this is the first time she's actually touched Ben. So out of that concern and out of not wanting to let go of him just yet, she keeps her hand on his arm.]
Tell me why it matters first.
[Not that she plans on divulging any names really, since two can play at that game, but his fixation on it is something she doesn't fully understand. She's assuming that he just wants his own lightsaber to use and is trying to figure out how he can get a new one.]
I haven't known you to be at all concerned about me during our time here. Why is this different?
Because I'm going to need to have some words with whoever thought this was a good idea.
[He at least doesn't try to shake her off again, too focused on having his question answered to bother. Besides, he knows it would be useless with how stubborn she is, and he needs to save his energy. For yelling.
And for coughing. Definitely for coughing for at least five seconds, which he covers with his the back of his free hand. It's not a superficial cough, unfortunately, coming from deep in his chest.]
I'm not concerned about you. I'm concerned about the danger you'll pose to everyone around you. You don't even know how to use that.
[Thanks for not coughing right in her face, Ben. As alarming of a cough as it is--because that doesn't sound good at all, and the more he coughs, the more Leia frowns in concern--she appreciates that he took the time to cover his mouth as he coughed.
She's not sure which part of his answer bothers her most: his lack of concern for her, or assuming she'll go into this without being fully prepared. ...It's probably the second one. He's not wrong, she doesn't know how to use a lightsaber, not beyond "turn it on and slash at things." But, she's not going to let that stop her, and with just how many people there were here who knew how to use a lightsaber, it would be simple to find someone to teach her. Whether that someone was Galen, Luke, or one of the other Jedi.]
You're assuming I won't bother learning. What point would there be in carrying around a weapon I don't know how to use?
The question is— [cough] —why in the galaxy you're deciding to do this now when you've avoided anything resembling Jedi training your entire life.
[He has to pause for a moment, closing his eyes and pressing the back of his hand against his mouth as he tries to resist the urge to cough, just to be stubborn. But after a slow breath, he does seem to shake it off. That doesn't mean his voice is any more pleasant to listen to, however.]
You should stick with what you know. You can handle a blaster better than you'll ever wield a lightsaber.
I have no intention of becoming a Jedi, and I've already explained my reasoning to you.
[Well, not when lightsabers were concerned, but she had mentioned why she sought out some training in the Force. And whether Ben accepted that answer or not, it didn't matter to her, because he was still one of the people Leia planned to protect with this training, if she could help it.
Leia purses her lips, still watching his face as he tries not to cough. Because she can tell that's what he's doing. Well, that it's either that or that his balance is off again, but aside from that pause, he seems stable enough on his feet for now.]
A blaster won't work with what I'm concerned about. Besides, building a blaster of the sort I'd be familiar with is more difficult here.
[She's not even bothered by his blunt assessment, because she fully admits he's right. She's far more comfortable with a blaster, and she'd rather have one. But just as easily as she can admit that, she can also admit that she knows full well that, were she in danger from Anakin and his new presence here, a blaster would do her no good.]
[It's entirely possible that Kylo has attempted to remove most conversations with his mother from his memory, but he simply scowls at her rather than demanding it again, at least. He doesn't like it no matter what her reason is, anyway, so it doesn't really matter.
He does have other issues he's going to pursue, though.]
You still haven't answered my question about who taught you.
[He's highly tempted to simply take the weapon from her with his Force abilities, but, well—non-Hux guards tend to not like the idea of him with a lightsaber, and they are still being watched.]
[Taking the weapon wouldn't end well for anyone, it's true. And Leia makes no movements to bring it up from where it's resting so that Ben can get a better look at it. He may be focused on it, but she doesn't see any reason for him to inspect it, and in all honesty, she's not entirely certain he won't keep it for himself, or just to keep it away from her.]
And I told you it's not important. I don't intend on breaking their trust.
[She sighs again, shaking her head as she moves her hand down his arm, more toward his elbow.]
I didn't come here to talk about this. I came here to talk with you.
[Well, to apologize and to see how he's doing, but those are really all the same thing.]
[If she's going to be stubborn, then so will he. He turns his back to her, making his way back into the living room.]
Then too bad, because I have nothing to say to you.
[He sniffs, though he tries to make it as quiet as possible, and steps over to the opposite side of the wide coffee table, where a few metal parts and tools are strewn about—both on the table and around the space on the floor where Ren moves to sit a bit heavily. It's a bit closer to the large glass doors that open to the back, and he was using the sunlight to help him be more precise with the smaller things.
Some of those parts may be a little familiar-looking, since Leia has constructed her saber so recently, but he would appreciate it if she kept any thoughts to herself, if she does notice.]
[Naturally, she follows, whether he wants her to or not, and her gaze lingers on the parts spread across the table. They certainly do look familiar, familiar enough to guess what he's planning on doing, but for now she says nothing. Instead, she crosses her arms, and remains directly across the table from him, no doubt blocking the sunlight from his project.]
I came here to apologize. For last time.
[She charges on ahead anyway, because while he may not have anything to say to her, she still plans on talking to him.]
Do you not have your crystal?
[it's a direct question, but it isn't entirely out of the blue. She had noticed the grey color to him before, and as he moved and she followed, she couldn't tell whether there was a crystal hanging from his neck, or indeed anywhere easily noticeable.]
[To apologize. As if that actually meant anything. If she truly had that feeling about the way things turned out, she would have never shown up to discuss that stupid issue in the first place, let alone with Han Solo. He disregards that part of it entirely, instead opting to squint down at a few mechanical parts and pick up a tool.
His gaze does go to her, a bit sharp, when she mentions his crystal, though he returns to what he's doing quickly enough, his voice low and gravelly.]
That's none of your business.
[He's stored it in his room, for now, until he's finished enough with the casing for his new saber to determine how to fit it in. He's pretty certain he'll have to break it into pieces somehow if it's going to work. It had to be flower-shaped, of all things...
The temperature around them is still uncomfortably warm, despite the fact that Ren seems to not be quite that angry. At least there's no burning smells.]
[That stupid issue is still a concern. Whether or not there's any actual relationship there, Leia's still concerned about Hux's influence on Ben, especially since the two of them live together and presumably spend nearly all their free time together. Even more than that, probably, given that Hux also doubles as a guard for him. It's natural to be concerned when this is what she has to deal with.
Leia scans over the parts spread out on the table again, slowly taking them all in. Not all the parts are something she can name, and some of them are probably as close as you could get to the real thing here in Verens (not that she'd know what the real parts in a lightsaber were, having used the same sort of spare tech available here for her own), but she could guess what the parts were meant to do.]
I think it is my business. I've told you before: you may not like it, but I'm still your mother. It's my responsibility to look out for you.
You can keep repeating that, but it still means nothing.
[Despite himself, as he works on tinkering with the part in his hand, shaping the pieces properly, he starts to look particularly tired both in his face and his posture. He wanted to challenge himself, but his family is an entirely different matter. He just wants to avoid them entirely.
Perhaps if Hux comes back soon, his presence will be appalling enough for her to decide to leave. He supposes he has no choice but to be patient, since his guards apparently don't care about people trespassing despite Kylo clearly not wanting them there. All the more reason to make a new saber and fix that broken droid.]
[She watches as he works, interested in just how he's shaping the pieces, and how he wants them to fit together. She may have build her own lightsaber, but she's no expert. And between the two of them, even with all the problems his lightsaber may have (unknown to Leia, having only seen the more positive mental image of it), Ben is the infinitely more experiences of the two of them.
She was about to ask a question about why he chose the next piece to fit where it did, if there was something about that to make the blade more stable, but thinks better of it. Not just because the guard is still around somewhere and would be alarmed, but also because it strikes her just how exhausted he looks. So, she moves around the table to stand next to him, and gently places her hand on his wrist. He didn't react too poorly last time, so she thinks it's safe to try again.]
If you agree to relax, I'll let you have a closer look at what I've made.
[Since he's interested, and she's not above baiting him to get him to take care of himself. She might not let him hold it, but she'll allow him to get a better look at it.]
[It's good that she doesn't ask him about the parts, not only because of the guard watching, and not only because he's tired, but because the honest answer probably isn't one she wants to hear—if he were to admit he asked for Hux's advice on a few of the components, it probably wouldn't improve her impression about the two of them.
This time, he does pull his hand away, though not so suddenly as to knock any of the nearby pieces out of their place. He simply narrows his eyes at her for a moment, regarding her with suspicion.]
What sort of "closer look."
[He knows better than to expect it will be anything other than literally that—maybe her holding it closer to his face or something else equally unappealing. His curiosity about the thing isn't so strong that he's willing to drop what he's doing and make his own saber farther from becoming reality. Trying to "relax" would negate the entire principle of what he's doing right now, anyway.]
[She doesn't know what he's trying to do, beyond currently working on building a replacement saber, and she'd find how he's actually testing his limits to be absolutely stupid. So for now, it's for the best that she doesn't find out.
As much as she expected him to not allow further physical contact, Leia can't help the frown as he pulls his hand away. But at the very least he's stopped working on his saber, so she thinks maybe she has a chance to get him to move to the couch or his room or someplace he can actually rest instead of pushing through his stupid cold and stupid lack of crystal to do whatever he's trying to prove.]
That depends on you. Are you going to attempt to keep it if I let you hold it?
[She'd rather not let him hold it, not just because of that risk, but because she's not sure if he might try something when it's in his hands. But if he'll agree to return it and agree to relax, she'd debate if it's worth it or not to try.]
[Ren scowls momentarily, offended by the idea he'd do something like that when he's still technically a prisoner or criminal or whatever. He returns his attention to the task at hand and makes a few adjustments on the circuitry, answering but still seeming disinterested in her offer.]
I'm not stupid.
[He's fairly confident she'll understand his meaning, at least for the main part of it—trying to take a weapon from her would ruin the bit of good favor he's gained from the Enforcers all these months. But he thinks she may understand that he would also very much like to take it from her, permanently, but that currently making one of his own means he has no real need of it.]
[She could bring up several points that do in fact imply that her son is being stupid at the moment. But it's not the time or place, nor is it entirely appropriate to do so, especially not if she wants Ben to stop working on things and relax so he'll get over this sickness sooner.
So, she says nothing, instead reaching to grab her own lightsaber from where it's resting at her hip. She makes no move to hand it to him yet, though. Leia steps back away from Ben, tilting her head more in the direction of the couch. She assumes it's enough of a gesture that he'll understand her meaning.]
Those parts aren't going anywhere. They'll be there after you take a break.
[Pointing out his stupidity is a sure way to get him to stop listening. The fact that she hasn't will make the process a little easier, though that doesn't mean getting him to rest will actually be easy.
He's still a little annoyed, but he doesn't seem to have the energy to stay that way. He just gives her a dull stare instead of a scowl.]
[Considering Ben's usual response to her is annoyance at the best of times, she's not sure how to feel about him being unable to manage even that. It's not that she wants him to be annoyed with her--she wants the opposite, actually--but since it's his usual state, it's alarming that he's not, and just lends more credence to the idea that he really needs to go take a nap or something to relax.]
Then humor me. If it's not strenuous, you can go back to work once I'm gone, and I won't know the difference.
[Well that makes it even more pointless, doesn't it? They both know he's going to keep working, so there's absolutely no reason to stop right now. Well—it might get her to shut up about it, but that's countered by the fact that he wants to make things as aggravating as possible.
So he continues with what he's doing, not even looking at her anymore.]
If apologizing is all you came here for, you can go ahead and leave.
I'm not leaving until I see you start taking care of yourself.
[She crosses her arms and--well not quite glowers at him, but her expression is severe and also severely unamused with his behavior. Because if he's going to be stubborn, she can be even more stubborn. Not that she hasn't been stubborn already, but it's a next level stubborn, and one Kylo can easily take advantage of to make her leave if he's willing to give in.]
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lostapprentice) wrote2035-01-06 02:37 am
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I made it. But that's not anything you need to worry about.
[She still doesn't entirely like it, isn't entirely sure how to use it, but Galen had a point. Blasters were harder to come by here, and he had the parts necessary for a lightsaber. With Anakin back, she needed something to defend herself should it come to that, and even if blasters were a thing, she knew first hand just how effective those were against Darth Vader.]
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[He's basically looming over her now, utterly appalled by this series of events. This is the worst thing that his mother could have come upon. If there is any Force user who does not need a saber, it's Leia Organa.]
Who taught you? [He really doesn't want to think it was Obi-Wan, since he likes the man. But he can see Qui-Gon doing such a thing, and there are other people from their galaxy in the city he doesn't know much about, if anything. He's going to find out, either way.
Hopefully she doesn't notice that the looming is in part due to a lack of balance, and that there's some wavering in it as he gets more agitated. The rising temperature isn't helping much, either, though it wasn't going to take much to make him start sweating.]
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Any sense of wanting Ben to have his own personal space and to not impose on him more than she already does when she visits is forgotten, and she reaches out, placing a hand on his upper arm in some attempt to help stabilize him. She doesn't need Ben falling over and getting in worse shape than he already seems to be.]
It doesn't matter who. What matters is that you're going to hurt yourself if you keep this up, Ben. At least sit down.
[because she's sure she will have less luck getting Ben to cooperate than she did with Han. Han, at least, could be convinced if it got him attention and he wanted to be taken care of. Ben presumably wants little of that, least of all from her. But if she could get him to sit down, at least she won't have to worry about him toppling over.]
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It absolutely matters.
[And if he can use her misplaced concern to manipulate her into giving him what he wants, he absolutely will. Even if it's to his detriment, physically.]
I'm not moving until you tell me. [Granted, he doesn't plan to move if she does tell him, but there would be a slightly greater chance of it.]
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Tell me why it matters first.
[Not that she plans on divulging any names really, since two can play at that game, but his fixation on it is something she doesn't fully understand. She's assuming that he just wants his own lightsaber to use and is trying to figure out how he can get a new one.]
I haven't known you to be at all concerned about me during our time here. Why is this different?
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[He at least doesn't try to shake her off again, too focused on having his question answered to bother. Besides, he knows it would be useless with how stubborn she is, and he needs to save his energy. For yelling.
And for coughing. Definitely for coughing for at least five seconds, which he covers with his the back of his free hand. It's not a superficial cough, unfortunately, coming from deep in his chest.]
I'm not concerned about you. I'm concerned about the danger you'll pose to everyone around you. You don't even know how to use that.
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She's not sure which part of his answer bothers her most: his lack of concern for her, or assuming she'll go into this without being fully prepared. ...It's probably the second one. He's not wrong, she doesn't know how to use a lightsaber, not beyond "turn it on and slash at things." But, she's not going to let that stop her, and with just how many people there were here who knew how to use a lightsaber, it would be simple to find someone to teach her. Whether that someone was Galen, Luke, or one of the other Jedi.]
You're assuming I won't bother learning. What point would there be in carrying around a weapon I don't know how to use?
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[He has to pause for a moment, closing his eyes and pressing the back of his hand against his mouth as he tries to resist the urge to cough, just to be stubborn. But after a slow breath, he does seem to shake it off. That doesn't mean his voice is any more pleasant to listen to, however.]
You should stick with what you know. You can handle a blaster better than you'll ever wield a lightsaber.
[He's so encouraging and full of hope.]
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[Well, not when lightsabers were concerned, but she had mentioned why she sought out some training in the Force. And whether Ben accepted that answer or not, it didn't matter to her, because he was still one of the people Leia planned to protect with this training, if she could help it.
Leia purses her lips, still watching his face as he tries not to cough. Because she can tell that's what he's doing. Well, that it's either that or that his balance is off again, but aside from that pause, he seems stable enough on his feet for now.]
A blaster won't work with what I'm concerned about. Besides, building a blaster of the sort I'd be familiar with is more difficult here.
[She's not even bothered by his blunt assessment, because she fully admits he's right. She's far more comfortable with a blaster, and she'd rather have one. But just as easily as she can admit that, she can also admit that she knows full well that, were she in danger from Anakin and his new presence here, a blaster would do her no good.]
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He does have other issues he's going to pursue, though.]
You still haven't answered my question about who taught you.
[He's highly tempted to simply take the weapon from her with his Force abilities, but, well—non-Hux guards tend to not like the idea of him with a lightsaber, and they are still being watched.]
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And I told you it's not important. I don't intend on breaking their trust.
[She sighs again, shaking her head as she moves her hand down his arm, more toward his elbow.]
I didn't come here to talk about this. I came here to talk with you.
[Well, to apologize and to see how he's doing, but those are really all the same thing.]
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Then too bad, because I have nothing to say to you.
[He sniffs, though he tries to make it as quiet as possible, and steps over to the opposite side of the wide coffee table, where a few metal parts and tools are strewn about—both on the table and around the space on the floor where Ren moves to sit a bit heavily. It's a bit closer to the large glass doors that open to the back, and he was using the sunlight to help him be more precise with the smaller things.
Some of those parts may be a little familiar-looking, since Leia has constructed her saber so recently, but he would appreciate it if she kept any thoughts to herself, if she does notice.]
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I came here to apologize. For last time.
[She charges on ahead anyway, because while he may not have anything to say to her, she still plans on talking to him.]
Do you not have your crystal?
[it's a direct question, but it isn't entirely out of the blue. She had noticed the grey color to him before, and as he moved and she followed, she couldn't tell whether there was a crystal hanging from his neck, or indeed anywhere easily noticeable.]
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His gaze does go to her, a bit sharp, when she mentions his crystal, though he returns to what he's doing quickly enough, his voice low and gravelly.]
That's none of your business.
[He's stored it in his room, for now, until he's finished enough with the casing for his new saber to determine how to fit it in. He's pretty certain he'll have to break it into pieces somehow if it's going to work. It had to be flower-shaped, of all things...
The temperature around them is still uncomfortably warm, despite the fact that Ren seems to not be quite that angry. At least there's no burning smells.]
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Leia scans over the parts spread out on the table again, slowly taking them all in. Not all the parts are something she can name, and some of them are probably as close as you could get to the real thing here in Verens (not that she'd know what the real parts in a lightsaber were, having used the same sort of spare tech available here for her own), but she could guess what the parts were meant to do.]
I think it is my business. I've told you before: you may not like it, but I'm still your mother. It's my responsibility to look out for you.
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[Despite himself, as he works on tinkering with the part in his hand, shaping the pieces properly, he starts to look particularly tired both in his face and his posture. He wanted to challenge himself, but his family is an entirely different matter. He just wants to avoid them entirely.
Perhaps if Hux comes back soon, his presence will be appalling enough for her to decide to leave. He supposes he has no choice but to be patient, since his guards apparently don't care about people trespassing despite Kylo clearly not wanting them there. All the more reason to make a new saber and fix that broken droid.]
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She was about to ask a question about why he chose the next piece to fit where it did, if there was something about that to make the blade more stable, but thinks better of it. Not just because the guard is still around somewhere and would be alarmed, but also because it strikes her just how exhausted he looks. So, she moves around the table to stand next to him, and gently places her hand on his wrist. He didn't react too poorly last time, so she thinks it's safe to try again.]
If you agree to relax, I'll let you have a closer look at what I've made.
[Since he's interested, and she's not above baiting him to get him to take care of himself. She might not let him hold it, but she'll allow him to get a better look at it.]
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This time, he does pull his hand away, though not so suddenly as to knock any of the nearby pieces out of their place. He simply narrows his eyes at her for a moment, regarding her with suspicion.]
What sort of "closer look."
[He knows better than to expect it will be anything other than literally that—maybe her holding it closer to his face or something else equally unappealing. His curiosity about the thing isn't so strong that he's willing to drop what he's doing and make his own saber farther from becoming reality. Trying to "relax" would negate the entire principle of what he's doing right now, anyway.]
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As much as she expected him to not allow further physical contact, Leia can't help the frown as he pulls his hand away. But at the very least he's stopped working on his saber, so she thinks maybe she has a chance to get him to move to the couch or his room or someplace he can actually rest instead of pushing through his stupid cold and stupid lack of crystal to do whatever he's trying to prove.]
That depends on you. Are you going to attempt to keep it if I let you hold it?
[She'd rather not let him hold it, not just because of that risk, but because she's not sure if he might try something when it's in his hands. But if he'll agree to return it and agree to relax, she'd debate if it's worth it or not to try.]
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I'm not stupid.
[He's fairly confident she'll understand his meaning, at least for the main part of it—trying to take a weapon from her would ruin the bit of good favor he's gained from the Enforcers all these months. But he thinks she may understand that he would also very much like to take it from her, permanently, but that currently making one of his own means he has no real need of it.]
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So, she says nothing, instead reaching to grab her own lightsaber from where it's resting at her hip. She makes no move to hand it to him yet, though. Leia steps back away from Ben, tilting her head more in the direction of the couch. She assumes it's enough of a gesture that he'll understand her meaning.]
Those parts aren't going anywhere. They'll be there after you take a break.
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He's still a little annoyed, but he doesn't seem to have the energy to stay that way. He just gives her a dull stare instead of a scowl.]
Working on this is hardly strenuous.
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Then humor me. If it's not strenuous, you can go back to work once I'm gone, and I won't know the difference.
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So he continues with what he's doing, not even looking at her anymore.]
If apologizing is all you came here for, you can go ahead and leave.
[He's just tired of arguing at this point.]
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[She crosses her arms and--well not quite glowers at him, but her expression is severe and also severely unamused with his behavior. Because if he's going to be stubborn, she can be even more stubborn. Not that she hasn't been stubborn already, but it's a next level stubborn, and one Kylo can easily take advantage of to make her leave if he's willing to give in.]
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